08 Sep, 2017

Starting A Travel Agency

Starting a travel agency can be a lucrative job especially for people who have experience in the hospitality industry. Nonetheless, travel agencies require planning, research and patience just like any other kind of business. The following are some of the common steps that can be followed when establishing a travel agency business. The first thing is determining the location of your business. You can either decide to have it located at home or in commercial offices. Home based business have small overhead operation cost than agencies that are based in commercial places. Then register the business following the set laws and regulations of the local region. Ensure to open two separate bank accounts as well. One account is used for holding cash that has been sent in by clients while the other account is used for holding personal cash. Secondly, determine whether you want an autonomous travel agency or a travel referral agency. If you are running an independent travel agency, then you should make plans and collect contacts of various accommodation places and tour destinations. For a referral business, sign deals with leading travel agencies to be working in tandem with them. Negotiate commission you will be getting for referring clients to the organization. Come up with a sound business plan that you will be using to operate the business. Ensure to establish a well structured financial management aspect as well. By now, you should establish the specific kind of travel agency you want to start such as vacation home, cruise travel, safari, luxury or regular travel agencies that book hotels and flights. To increase the credibility of your organization, join one of the travel agent societies to help in increasing the confidence of your customers as well as business customers. Examples of some of the trusted organization that can acquire you more clients include National Association of Commissioned Travel Agents (NACTA), American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) and International Air Transport Association (IATA). Look for the established companies that will act as the go-between you and tour operators, cruise lines or the airlines. Getting associated with popular travel companies helps in acquiring clients easily. Many travelers go for the trusted brands since they tend to offer reliable services. After you get regular customers, quit the affiliate company and create your own your network. Lastly, lay down effective promotion methods that you can use to increase the popularity of your business. You can offer discounts, establish exemplary association with your clients and taking your business to travel courses to boost the image of your business.